Not a single student passed the Class 10 board examination in 16 government high schools in Himachal Pradesh. Another 86 schools recorded a pass percentage of 20 or less, according to the HP Board of School Education, which declared the results recently.

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There are 3,511 government high schools in the state. Most of the Class 10 toppers were from private schools, with girls outperforming boys.

The Class 12 results in government schools were not encouraging either. Three schools recorded zero pass percentage — two of these schools are in Shimla district and one in Kangra. The pass percentage was less than 20 in 24 schools. There are 2,012 senior secondary schools in the state.

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Himachal Additional Chief Secretary (Education) P C Dhiman has sought the details of the underperforming schools from the HP Board of School Education, Dharamshala, which conducted the Class X and XII examinations.

“The number of poorly performing schools is not very high compared to the number of well-performing schools (with 90-100 pass percentage). But I have asked education department officials to submit a report explaining the reasons for zero pass percentage,” Dhiman said.

One explanation for poor performance in Class X could be the number of students taking the exam. According to the board data, at Government High School, Mooring (Lahaul-Spiti), just one student appeared in the exam and he failed. Another senior secondary school in Gaushal, in the same district, had just two students and both could not clear the exam. In Kullu district, Government High School, Sharvi, had four students appearing in the board exam, and three got compartments and one failed.

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There were exceptions like Government Senior Secondary School, Pathiar in Kangra, which had 122 students appearing in the exam, and only nine cleared the exam while 13 got compartments.

“The Chief Minister has been announcing opening and upgrading of dozens of schools every day without creating infrastructure and providing teachers. What results can you expect from high schools with one or two teachers?” said BJP leader and former CM Prem Kumar Dhumal, adding that he had raised the issue in the Assembly repeatedly.

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HP Board of School Education Chairman Balbir Tegta said they had been closely monitoring the pass percentages of Class 10 and 12. Nearly 765 schools have posted results above 90 per cent and 1,650 between 75 per cent and 90 per cent, he said.